Shining Though
by Broppy's-Little-Girl
Summary: "Poppy, wait! You can't do this! I'll go insane!" "Last chance: will you come with me to Bergen Town?" "No!" "Three...two...one!" "You're evil," I whispered. "Love you too Branch!" The princess blew me a kiss right before she confidently pulled the lever that sent her on her way./ The story we all know and love, but with a missing moments and extended scenes
1. I Told You So

**Branch's POV**

I froze.

What I saw before me was something I could not explain, something I could not comprehend, something I could not believe. No, wrong word. It was something I could not _accept_.

In front of me sat an angel with a broken wing. She was down on her knees, looking like so downhearted. I will never forget that look, even after I die, which won't be long. Her head hung and her eyes closed tightly. Her once pink glow was now faded and a new color and the other's seem to have accepted their fate because they become just like her, just like _me_. Grey. When I looked around that's all I saw. Misery. Defeat. It was like looking in a grey mirror, and there was no escaping it.

" _I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize life isn't all cupcakes and rainbows!"_ my own harsh, cold voice rang in my ears. I let those words fall off my tongue so easily. I had no regret then. But now that it had actually happened the words that came out of my mouth just yesterday felt so long ago. A lot had happened today and somehow we ended up where I knew we would.

I didn't say anything, though. There was no time for "I told you so". There wasn't much time left, anyways. Everyone knew what was going to happen and they accepted it.

But I didn't.

I couldn't accept it. I knew it was coming, but I didn't accept it. I couldn't accept my happy princess turning grey.

Yes, my princess.

 **Poppy's POV**

I felt terrible. All I wanted was the be the troll my dad was. I wanted to save everyone, I wanted to be a hero. I was no one's hero now. Not even to the youngsters who once looked up to me. Now they hung their heads low, grief in their eyes. I wanted to be brave, be bold, accept a challenge for once. I just couldn't.

The world wasn't what I thought it was. It wasn't all cupcakes and rainbows. I realized that now. It was a dark place.

Branch was right. For he was the one to tell me this. I never believed him. In a way I wish I did. Because maybe if I believed him I wouldn't be feeling this way.

What feeling, you may ask?

The feeling you get when you get everyone you love killed. The feeling when someone you thought you could trust mentally destroyed you by stabbing you in the back. The feeling when...my grumpy grey troll didn't return my feelings. He was in love with some other troll, that moved on, and still is.

Yes, my grumpy grey troll.

 **Branch and Poppy's POV**

In case you're wondering how we got here, let me tell you.

Because it's a long story.

* * *

 **72 HOURS EARLIER**

Branch's POV

It would be a lie if I were to say the story I'm about to tell you is fake. To be honest, most of it was a blur. Everything happened so quickly, with no order, no structure, and most definitely no safety. Most of the time I was trying to keep my princess safe. I guess I didn't go at it the best and that's on me. Almost every word that came out of my mouth was nasty. I didn't mean for it to, but it's just what I have grown to be.

Our story starts like any story. It's not really a story until something terrible happened and you have to go on some agonizing journey, usually our hero has a sidekick. In this case a pink pain in the butt. Well, I wouldn't call myself a hero just yet because right now I feel like the biggest coward in history. So I'll let you be the judge of that one.

In the beginning it was an ordinary day. The sun was shining brightly on my back as I collected more wood for my bunker (which we'll get onto that later). It was peaceful being so early. The birds chirped and I felt a breeze run through my hair and i inhaled the crisp air.

When I stopped to get a drink that's when my peace was destroyed. I spit out the water when I heard a familiar loud voice singing "MOVE YOUR HAIR AND FEEL UNITED!" The noise of everyone else's singing make it even MORE loud, and now it seemed as though the once quiet forest was vibrating. I looked around swiftly, praying a Bergen wouldn't hear and attack the village. I've told them again and again they are going to hear them if they don't keep it down. But do they listen? of course not!

i hadn't been in sight of the villagers when the noise first started. I had to be about a mile away, and when I finally reached the song, thankfully, was coming to an end. I caught my breath, leaning against the stem of a mushroom. Once it was caught I waited emotionlessly for them to make their big finish in which everyone stood on top of each other. They all had a smile glued on their faces when they finished, heavily breathing.

I started a slow clap. " _Unbelievable_ guys," I said sarcastically. "Really great, good job...I could hear you from a mile away!"

"Good, I was worried we were projecting enough," Poppy panted, hopping off Cooper and everyone spawled out of their positions. Sarcasm was a foreign language to Poppy. Almost everything I said was sarcastic and she didn't get it a single bit.

I decided I wouldn't correct her. She wouldn't get it anyway. "Poppy, if I can hear you, so can the Bergens," I whispered the last part, worried they would hear _me_ too.

"Oh boy," said Guy Diamond, seeming somewhat amused.

"Here we go again," sighed Cooper.

"Oh Branch," said Biggie, shaking his head in disapproval.

"You always ruin everything," Satan said.

"Warning us about the Bergens," her twin sister Chenille finished.

"No I don't."

Well, maybe that was a big fib. I had ruined a party, wedding and funeral all in the time span of a few months warning everyone that the bergens were coming. But that was just bad timing.

"Cmon," Poppy's nonchalant voice broke through my reflection of myself. "We haven't seen a bergen in twenty years they're not gonna find us."

"No, they're not going to find _me,_ because i'll be in my heavily camouflaged, heavily fortified, Bergen proof survival bunker."

"You mean you're not coming to the party tonight?" she asked, looking slightly hurt.

"But it's gonna be the biggest..."

"The loudest!"

"The CRAZIEST party ever!" Cooper beamed.

They were nuts! I couldn believe what I was hearing. "Big? Loud? Crazy?!" I was fuming now. "You're just gonna lead the Bergens right to us!" I exclaimed.

"Are you sure you wanna invite this party pooper to _poop on your party_?" Cooper whispered as he stared at me like I wasn't standing in front of him.

Poppy didn't even hesitate. "Yes! I think everyone deserves to be happy," she smiled.

"I don't DO happy," I replied.

"Branch, I know you have happiness inside you, you just need us to help you find it!" She then pulled out an invitation from her hair that revealed sunshine and rainbows, and what looked like a little version of me holding a card. Out of it's eyes splattered glitter. I stood there impatiently as I let it fall onto my face. Although I admired her invitation, I didn't crack a smile. "What do ya say Branch?" asked Poppy, scrunching up her face cutely.

With this huge party they are talking about, I wouldn't be surprised if the Bergens came.

I had made it my image to destroy her invitations, and it was as if it was just instinct now. I took the invitation as always and stomped on it. The reason I did it was because I thought it might stop them from having a party. But if I knew anything about Poppy, it was that she wasn't going to let the absence of one troll to stop her from having the biggest, the loudest, and the craziest party ever or whatever. Everyone gasped, clearly still not used to it, which surprised me. I had been doing this for years and you'd think they'd get used to it.

"I wouldn't be caught dead at your party," I said, wiping glitter from my face, "but you will be: caught, and dead!" Before you say that was a little harsh, I wasn't going to stop trying to convince everyone that the bergens were still after us, and they _were_ coming. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they _will_ come. They'll take everyone. Except me, of course. And I won't be around when it happens. When the loud music stops and horrified shrieks fill the air that's when I'll know. And what I would do after that I didn't know.

Poppy furrowed her eyebrows at me for a moment before a critter flew his way in the middle of us ever so gracefully. Then I realized it was carrying the troll I despised. "Woah, woah, easy Branch, easy!" The critter let the purple troll down carefully and flew to him as if he was saying goodbye. "Thank you for providing a safe path brother," he said, touching foreheads with it. I simply rolled my eyes at this. "Fly away, be free…" He smiled at the critter who flew away peacefully. "Okay first of all mate," he continued, "thanks for sharing your unique perspective on things, _again_." He tilted his head towards everyone, who looked like they were going to burst into peals of laughter.

I knitted my eyebrows, unsure if I should be offended or flattered.

Offended.

Definitely offended.

Oh, what was I saying? Creek always offended me, even when he wasn't. In other words I hated the guy's guts. I didn't know a particular reason why. I mean, a reason that stands out from all of the other reasons. In all seriousness despite the way I felt about Creek everyone else had a opposite view on him. They saw him as "the voice of reason" because he was always so calm and laid back. For me, there was something that I just couldn't trust about the guy, something deep down. Plus, he was always getting too close to Poppy for my liking and they had a strange thing with booping each other's nose that just made me gag. Whenever I see them together I swear my heart clenches.

"...But just for now," he continued. "Why don't you try in some positivity aye? A little positivity, may go with that vest!"

"Fine, I am _positive_ you are all going to get eaten," I smiled.

"Aw, cmon Branch! You know that's not what he meant," said Suki.

So? I wasn't taking orders from Creek. "Whatever," I grumbled.

Poppy frowned at me until her hug time bracelet went off. "Hug time!" she cheered.

Creek grabbed her hand, causing my heart to crack open a little and it felt hard to breathe. Well, I blame that on the fact that I was forced into this hug, Creek on my left and Guy Diamond on my right. "Our hearts are synchronizing!" said Creek. Um...ew!

"I can sqqquuueeezeee you foreva!" said Guy Dimond, tightening his embrace on me (which I didn't think was even possible). Yeahhh...I'm gonna have to go with no. I, personally, don't want to squeeze Guy Diamond forever. When I finally managed to get out of the hug that was making me claustrophobic I landed right on my back.

I got back up, though although it still really hurt. I picked my sticks back up and began to stomp away. "Someday, when the bergens find us and the survival of _every_ troll is in _your_ hands, I sure hope the answer is singing, dancing and hugging because that's all you know how to do!" I spat. How could they all be so _stupid_? How were they so blind to the fact that some day soon everything they know will be gone? That one day all trolls would perish? A shiver ran down my spin when I thought about the high possibility of a bergen attack. And I was terrified, honestly. They were going to scoop them up and eat them. Just like…

"That is not true!" said Biggie. "Poppy can also scrapbook," he said matter-of-factly.

I ignored his comment. Like scrapbooking as going to save them. "I can't believe you're going to be queen one day," I muttered crossly, then turning my back and walked away without saying anything else.

"Tune out his negative vibrations Poppy, they're toxic," I heard Creek say as I continued walking. "Some folks, just don't wanna be happy."

"I...I guess."

The uncertainty in her voice made me stop at my tracks but I returned to turn my head.

"Why do you hesitate?" asked Creek.

"W-Well...don't you think Branch wants to be happy? Deep down, I mean. Sure he's a little grumpy sometimes but…"

"A _lot_ grumpy," Satin corrected.

"Okay, a _lot_ grumpy. The point is maybe he's not as bad as we think. Maybe he's just a lonely soul who's in need of a friend?"

"Not likely, Popps, I mean he's destroyed each and every one of your invitations. If he really wanted a friend he wouldn't do that. He'd attend your parties for once," Suki said.

"Agreed," Smidge said.

"He's just worried about the bergens…" Poppy said. Out of all the things I've done, how could she possibly keep on defending me? After I've stomped every invitation, said every nasty word to her I could think of? The thing of it was I didn't mean it. Everything I want to say to her just comes out wrong.

"He's not worried, he's _paranoid_ , more like," Cooper said.

Poppy sighed. "Yeah…"

"Cheer up Poppy, I wouldn't fret," said Creek. "Branch will come along. In the meantime, we have a party to decorate! Everyone will be there!"

They all cheered, their voices fading as they walked away excitedly.

That was when I whirled around and ran back into the clearing, took the invitation that was abandoned on the ground, and put it in my hair.

* * *

When I returned to my humble bunker I set down a few rocks I collected on the table, put my sticks on the shelf, and carefully took the stomped invitation out of my hair. I straightened it out and prayed it'd work.

Thank heavens, it did. The softer side of me opened up when I saw it. "Celebrate freedom from the bergens!" Little Branch sang. A smile formed across my lips and and I grinned like the stupidest idiot. Here I was, smiling at an invitation but not smiling at the actual party. I wasn't going to take that chance. She must've spent so much time on it...and I ruined it. Again.

I frown, looking back at the shelves of invitations I had kept over the years. I could never bring myself to get rid of them, so they piled up. I wanted to make a third shelf but I had been putting it off. These invitations...they all had a different meaning, a different story, and they weren't just made...they write crafted.

My thoughts were interrupted when there was as knock on my boulder (the entrance of the bunker). No, a POUNDING on my boulder. I gasped, closing the invitation and running to the shelf, making the mistake of not watching where I was going so I ran straight into the shelves, causing the invitations to make a racket, scamming my name. "No, no, no!" I protested, trying to shut them up but which each one I slapped down popped back up. "No, no shush shush shush!" For what felt like forever I finally stuffed them back into the shelf. I clenched my teeth together, hurrying up my elevator and pulled the lever that that opened up my "Go Away" mat. "I'm not going to your party, I said before she could say anything.

"The party's over!" the worry in her voice scared me. "We just got attacked by a bergen!"

"Huh. Really?"

"Yes, really!" Her voice was still shaken up, but I thought I wasn't done proving my point.

"If only there was someone to warned you about it…"

"Branch! This is serious!"

"Fine, come in!" I dragged her down, locking all the doors and setting up a mouse trap.

"Branch-"

"Sh!" I covered her mouth, listening for any movement.

"Branch, I-"

"Shush!"

"But Branch-"

"Shut up! What is so important that can lead the bergen right to us?!"

"The bergen isn't going to hear us under here! It's already gone!"

"You don't know that. It could still be out there!"

"No, it took all my friends! Even Creek!"

"Hm." I rolled my eyes instinctively at the mention of Creek.

"So that's why I have to ask you…" she fiddled with her fingers. "Will you go to Bergen Town with me and save everyone?"

Okay, she was officially mad. "What?! No!"

"Branch, you can't say no! They're your friends!"

"Ah, ah, ah! They're _your_ friends!" I wasn't anyone's friend. I looked out for myself and myself only. That's how it's been for a long time. "I'm staying in my bunker where it's safe."

"Oh, that's great! You know more about Bergens than anyone and when we finally need you you're just gonna hide here forever?!"

"Forever? Psh, no." I pulled the lever that descended deeper into my bunker. "Yeah I only have enough supplies to last me...ten years? Eleven if I'm willing to store and drink my own sweat!"

"Branch, that's disgusting!"

I shrugged in response and continued. "You all thought I was crazy huh? Well who's crazy now?" The elevator came to a final stop. "Me. Crazy prepared," I said, stepping off the elevator, Poppy not too far behind.

"I'm sorry, you told me not to throw the party and I through it anyway...and now I don't know what to do. So can you _please_ show some compassion for once?"

"Hmm...going to Bergen Town and ending up in a Bergen's stomach? Nah, I think I'll pass."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Pretty please with sprinkles and a cherry on top?" She gave me the puppy-dog-eyes.

 _Don't give in_ , I pleaded to myself. "Cherries give me indigestion."

"Fine. Pretty please with sticks and rocks on the top?"

"That sounds great!"

"So you'll go?" she asked excitedly.

"Nope. Why don't you try scrapbooking them to freedom?" I suggested.

Finally she had gave up. She sighed. "Solid burn Branch. Well, thanks anyway."

"Yeah, no problem Poppy, see ya in ten years." I smiled.

Poppy, however, did not smile. She gave me an unamused glare as she went back up the elevator. It wasn't until I didn't see her that I frowned. I was about to walk away when I heard the elevator come back down, barely revealing Poppy. "Hey, Branch. Just wondering if I could borrow something?"

"What?" I sighed.

"Your bunker!" she said.

"What?!" I gasped, not at all expecting that.

"Alright everyone, come on in! Branch would _love_ to share his bunker with you guys!"

I was still freaked out when Poppy pulled the lever and the elevator continued to descend, this time revealing every troll in the village that hadn't been taken. Poppy smiled as she approached me.

"Poppy, what are you doing?!" I demanded.

"You said you had enough previsions down here to last ten years," she pointed out, folding her arms.

Sure her plan to keep everyone safe in my bunker wasn't too bad of an idea, I'll admit, but she was still a little flat. The village was huge and the supplies down here wouldn't nearly last them that long. "Enough to last _me_ ten years! _Me_! It'll last them two _weeks_!" I exclaimed, still a little freaked out.

"Then I guess I'd better hurry!" she projected through the loud murmurs of everyone, about to make her way out but I tugged on her arm.

"Wait, wait, _wait_ ," I said irritably. "You wouldn't last a day out there," I said. I knew that _had_ to be true. Poppy has never been outside of the village before- not as far as I knew. It's the only home she's ever known. The forest is a dangerous place, and not a place for a princess either. It's cruel and unforgiving. They would eat her alive! The Bergens would be the _least_ of her worries once she set foot out there. Singing and dancing wasn't going to save her pink butt so I hope she had other plans than that to battle the monsters out there.

Then she said something I didn't expect her to say. "And you won't last a day in here," she smirked.

Dang, she got me there. It was complete chaos. You'd think after a bergen attack everyone would be frightened and quiet, but nope. One troll was chugging down one of my jar's of my sweat, which made me twitch a little considering I don't think they _knew_ it was my sweat. How could they possibly know? Some little kids were jumping from mousetrap to mousetrap, jumping right on time before it could close in on their legs which was extremely dangerous. Some were even laughing, but I'll tell you it wouldn't be funny if they ended up spraining one or even both of their ankles. I guess it'd teach them a lesson that mouse traps aren't toys.

I glanced back at Poppy, who was still smirking. "Solid burn returned." The sass in her voice mocked me, making wanna punch that smug- yet cute- grin right off her face, but I kept my cool and watch her walk away. She just had almost made it to the elevator when she was stopped by Peppy.

"Um, Poppy, wait," he said, his voice concerned. She looked back at him contently. "Please be careful."

I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling. There he was, the King of the trolls, watching his princess face the cruel world all by herself as he stayed here waiting for her return. "Don't worry dad. I can do this," said Poppy reassuringly, hugging him. I only saw the back of her head now and as Poppy hugged her he smiled, still looking a little sad.

"I love you Poppy," he said sincerely.

"I love you too Dad."

Something inside me seemed to die when I heard those words come out of both their months. _Love._ That word. The word I've been dying to tell Poppy for so long but couldn't find the words. They both made it seem so simple. But it wasn't. Not for me. I soon realized, though, that loving someone as your daughter and loving someone romantically were two completely different things. I think my heart ached too was because I missed that affection my family used to give me. And now I had no family. No one. I lost sight of that kind of love and I had no idea how to get that back.

Poppy skipped to the elevator, faith and happiness reading her expression. I hoped that would still be there when she returned empty handed with none of her friends because they had all gotten eaten. _If_ she even returned. I shuddered.

"Bye everybody, see you soon!" she called. Everyone said goodbye to her at different times, but I turned out the voices of farewells and looked at Poppy. I already sensed my personal space getting invaded as everyone swarmed around me, still wishing good luck and saying goodbye.

Before she could pull the lever that sended her up and out of the bunker i stopped her. "Poppy, wait! You can't do this! I'll go _insane_!" I exclaimed, pushing my way through everyone.

Poppy stood where she was. "Last chance: will you come with me to Bergen Town?"

Although some part of me wanted to agree, I stood my ground. It was my pride. "No!" The other part of me knew there was no chance at going to a place where I'd just get gulped up and down a Bergen's throat. On the other hand I was more worried for Poppy, especially going alone. She was crazy for doing this.

She then looked down at her hug time bracelet. "Three...two...one!" she smirked as it activated. When I saw the bright flower go off bright pink, I knew what she was up to. Oh no.

She pulled the lever confidently, sending the elevator up as everyone else's bracelets went off as well. I narrowed my eyes. "You're evil," I whispered.

"Love you too Branch!" The princess blew me a kiss right before she confidently pulled the lever that send her on her way.

"Hug time!" exclaimed Peppy

"No, no!" I protested as everyone crowded around me with open arms and happy expressions.

Meanwhile Poppy was almost out of sight. The last I saw before I was swallowed by the mob of affectionate trolls was her smiling widely and mischievously.

* * *

 **Chapter 1 finally done! Yaayy! And I'm exhausted XD Hope you liked it! Forgive me for any stupid mistakes a made- I need To an editor. I would also like to thank my friend** **ttobba95 who helped me come up with the title and a lot of other ideas for this story!**

 **oo tired to leave a long authors note so please review! I love you guys.**


	2. What Changed His Mind

**Narrator's POV**

Poppy had just set out on her adventure not five minutes ago, and Branch was already starting to regret his decision of not coming. Sure the princess was wasting her time going to Bergen Town and saving troll's that were probably being digested but his mind filled with doubt that she could do this by herself.

Branch could finally breathe again when Peppy finally let go of him. The king had been hugging him for the past five minutes, so tightly it made Branch almost go purple. He could not explain how uncomfortable it was to be forcefully pressed against a grown troll that was stripped stripped down in his underwear for a solid five minutes. The whole time Branch was wondering where the rest of his clothes had went.

Meanwhile everyone else thought it was fun to look through his stuff without asking, especially the kids. Some were getting a little too close to his shelf of invitations. He stopped that immediately that tell them if they opened the curtain it'd give away the secret portal to Bergen Town that led the bergens right back to the village. Branch got a kick out of this, but waited to laugh when they screamed and ran away.

Now that he had gotten the nosy kids out of the way, it was time for the troublemakers. When he told the kids to stop jumping from mousetrap to mousetrap, they told him to lay off and have some fun. One kid even bit him really hard on the finger that it became swollen.

He clenched his teeth together, fighting back the tears as the kids laughed. His eyebrows knitted as he was about to show him a piece of his mind but he felt a tug on his vest. He whirled around, still upset, to see a purple troll with blue hair staring up at him.

"Um, Branch, sir?"

"What?" he sighed. He was never good with children but it looked like this little girl wasn't going to bite his finger or nose through the invitations.

"My name is Violet. I was just wondering when Princess Poppy is coming back. She usually reads us a story before we have to go to bed, which is around this time." Violet had to be at least four, and Branch couldn't help but feel a clench in his heart that Poppy wasn't there to read to the youngsters. "Anyway I was hoping you could read this to us." She pulled a small book out of her hair and handed it to him, which he hesitantly accepted.

Before he knew it the kids were all circling him. He tensed. "Now I...Now I never said I was gonna read you a story," he stuttered.

"Well you have a book in your hand," said a red male troll. He was one of the kids that laughed at him when he got bitten.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to read it," he said.

"It doesn'tttt?" asked the troll that bit him. At first he didn't know where her voice was coming from, but it turns out she had managed to crawl in his _hair_. He shrieked.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he demanded, feeling around his hair and trying to get her out. "Get of my hair!"

"I think I gotta tinklleee," said the creepy green troll with her eyes crossed.

Branch's eyes widened in shock while the other kids snickered. "What! No!" He finally got a good grip on the kid and managed to get her out of his hair before she let it rip. "Someone should get this kid a diaper, I mean come on!" he set her on the ground. He folded his arms. First Peppy in his underwear, and now this naked infant! What was next?

The kids were still crowding around him, asking him to read the story. They were all getting up in his personal space, tugging at his vest, pulling his hair… Just as he thought it couldn't get worse, one crawled behind him pulled his _pants_ down. Branch shrieked for the second time and quickly pulled them back up, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Then he saw a light blue troll approaching them and scooping up the yellow little boy who pulled down his pants. "I am so sorry Branch!" said the mother. "I'm so embarrassed.

 _You're embarrassed?!_

"I didn't do it mom!" lied the yellow troll.

"I don't want to hear it! Now you apologize to Branch- right now!"

"Fine. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Branch said, thinking steam might come out of his ears at any moment. He was so close to losing his cool and it hadn't been long since Poppy left. He was about ready to strangle someone. He was still fuming as he walked away. The green troll in which he didn't know her name still needed to go to the bathroom and looked like she was going on explode. So Branch picked her up, keeping her as far away from him as possible. "There. Go. Do your business in here." He shoved her in the bathroom and closed the door. "Oy." He closed his eyes for a long while before attempting to calm himself. He took a few breathes in and a few breathes out.

Just as he was about to calm down, the green troll smiled, standing right in front him. He jumped. "Allll betterrr."

"I'm so glad you feel better," he said flatly, making his way past the little troll who was standing there blankly. There had never been a time when there were so many people here. Usually it was all quiet in his bunker but now everyone was talking. How _annoying_ it was. The Bergen could come back for them, and could easily be found with how much _talking_ they were doing. The walls were only so thick, and if they kept this up they would _all_ be dead.

"Hi Branch!" said a red girl troll that looked one or two years younger than him. She had purple hair and pale blue eyes.

He gave her a quick nod, about to walk away but she stopped him by putting her hands on his chest. "Wait, wait...where are you going so fast?" The red troll let her butterfly eyelashes flutter.

"What do you want?" he sighed. Branch was no fool. He knew that someone was flirting with him when he saw it, and he didn't like it. If it was Poppy, however, he'd be amazed. He knew of course that the princess didn't return his feelings because she would never flirt with him- or at least try like this troll.

She giggled. It was one of those fake ones a girl did to impress a guy and make him to believe she was soooo cute. "Easy, easy. I was just gonna say…" she bit her lip. "I was gonna say, I'm glad you are letting us stay here in your bunker. It's very, very kind of you."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Whatever." He didn't have a CHOICE on that one. Poppy just paraded them in there, asking if she could borrow his bunker and not giving him a chance for him to answer.

"It's very...homey. Well, warm, I mean. You know?"

"Okay," he grunted, unsure how to respond to that. His bunker was a lot of things but he wouldn't describe it as _homey._ It was the opposite of that. It was cold and lonely. Although it could fit a lot of trolls, it was his bachelor pad, and his only. He didn't like sharing his bunker with others. It was all he had.

"Anyway, I was wondering-"

"No."

"If you wanted-"

"No."

"...To go out sometime-"

"No!" He pushed past her.

She hurried after him. "But why? When's the last time you've been on a date?"

He stopped. He never _had_ been on a date, and he certainly didn't want to go with a girl that he didn't even know. "I...like someone else," he admitted.

"Really? Who?"

"None of your business," he mumbled.

"He's in love with the prinnnccessss," said the green troll. She was right next to his shelf of invitations and she drew the curtain that revealed all of them.

"No!" he exclaimed, clenching his teeth, shutting the curtains. "Those...those aren't mine," he lied.

Suddenly it was silent, and a hundred eyes were on him. "Buusstteeddd," the green troll said, making a few of the other kids giggle as they curiously drew the curtain and poked at the invitations that caused them to go off again.

"You're silly, Branch!" a peach colored girl giggled. "This curtain doesn't led to Bergen Town!"

"They just led to Princess Poppy's invitations," said another one of the kids.

"Smart little one," Branch said flatly, patting her head as she narrowed her eyes a little.

"What is this?" asked another kid who was rummaging through the invitations until he found a notebook. Branch tensed. This had been his notebook of poems. It wasn't completely full yet, about half way. Every single one was about Poppy.

"That's nothing!" he snatched it from him and put it in his hair. That notebook held some of his best work in there- they couldn't see that! That didn't stop them from getting the _other_ journals the read them aloud.

"She is the sunlight," one of the kids read, "in the darkest of days."

"Wow," said a little purple troll. "That's deep!"

Branch face palmed. "Now what's going on, uh, Branch?" he heard Peppy ask from behind him. The king, thank goodness, finally had his clothes back on and was approaching them slowly.

"Oo, oo, pick me!" said a green little boy troll, not waiting for the answer. "Branch is in love with your daughter!"

"Yeah!" a light blue one with pink hair added excitedly. "It's so romantic!"

Peppy stared at them for a moment until he looked back at Branch. "Is this true, Branch?"

Before Branch could answer a few of the kids raced to him with the invitations and journals. "The evidence is right here King Peppy! And see alllll the invitations? He kept them! Some are even duct taped! What a guy- acts grumpy but is a real softy inside!"

Branch blushed at this a little. "No I'm not…"

Peppy studied the invitations, getting his reading glasses out of his hair. "Mm mm mm…" he mumbled, then went over to the notebooks, skimming through the words. "Hmm...Mhm!" a smile formed on his lips. "Yes, yes!" he through the invitation and shouted happily. "Aha! I knew I knew it I _knew_ it!"

"Knew what?" asked Harper, making her way past a few trolls.

Peppy was too excited to hear Harper. "Branch! Oh, c'mere!" he made his way to the grey troll, arms opened wide and Branch's eyes got big as saucers. Peppy hugged him so tightly he swore he heard his bones crack. "You Romeo you! I'm think I'm gonna cry."

Before Peppy could cry and soak Branch's shoulder and most likely blow his nose in his hair, Branch pulled away. "Wait...what?! What do you mean you _knew_?" the thing that surprised him the most was that the orange troll _approved_ of this. If he were Peppy, he'd be worried that a grey grumpy survivalist was in love with his happy baby. But how did he _know_ Branch was in love with her? He hadn't show any emotion in front of Poppy other than answer. Well, except a few times when he let his softer side show.

Peppy didn't answer this question. "Now tell me one thing: if you love her, why didn't you come with her to Bergen Town?"

Branch opened his mouth to answer but closed it. He wanted to say something really nasty but stopped himself before he let the words slip out. Everyone had faith that the princess would return. If he said something negative now they would _make_ him go to protect her.

But...what if they didn't have to? Part of him, deep inside, knew it was right to go. Poppy wouldn't last out there, not long, anyway. He saw the worried look in the king's eye, and suddenly, he knew the right thing to do.

Without saying anything, he narrowed his eyes and turned his back. He quickly headed to his room, Peppy following. "Let's see…" He dug through his closet, ignoring the orange troll for now. He eventually found his backpack. "Ah, there you are! Okay we'll need water." He grabbed his canteen. "Maybe some extra clothes, yeah, definitely." His closet was so messy he was surprised he find anything. Surprisingly he found a rope, that might come in handy. So he slipped that in the bag as well.

The next thing he would need was food. He re-entered the kitchen, where everyone else was still looking at the invitations, Peppy still a step behind him. He was still mad that they got into his personal things but he simply brushed it off this time and grabbed some fruit out of the fridge. He also decided to make himself a couple sandwiches. He knew this wouldn't last him long but good thing he knew how to hunt. Most of the food he put in in his bag was for Poppy anyway, because she had left with nothing but the clothes on her back and a skip in her step. Well, he wouldn't be surprised if she brought some scrapbooking materials along.

Branch managed to get everything ready in a matter of ten minutes. He brought along Poppy's cowbell, which she had left behind. "Hey, excuse me," he said through the murmurs of everyone, standing in front of them all. His patience wore thin quite easily when he realized he had no one's attention. "Hey!" a few quieted down but there was still a few talking. "QUIET!" Suddenly the bunker was silent. _Finally._ "Everyone, listen, I'm going to find Poppy and go with her to Bergen Town. I need everyone to stay right here. No going out until we come back. Poppy will ring her cowbell to let you know that we have returned." _If we return…_ "Do not come out before then, understand?"

Everyone nodded. "Stay hidden- and keep each other safe!" Although the villagers drove him wild, he honestly didn't want anything too happen to them. It'd kill Poppy if that happened, and he didn't want that.

He pulled the lever, not as confident as Poppy had, but but he was more nervous. What if he couldn't find her? What if she already was eaten alive out there?

The last thing he saw before he rose up out of his bunker was Peppy giving him a thumbs up, only in his underwear.

Again.

* * *

 **Poppy's POV**

At the start of my journey I felt on top of the world. So eager, ready for anything and everything.

It took me a while to admit that the journey there may be more difficult than the destination. No one said this was going to be easy, and I knew that. This was why I wished I could get Branch to go with me. He'd think faster than me with his wits and brains. He was always smarter than me and knew about these type of things. Despite all the crazy things I had been through, I still smiled when I thought of him.

I knew he could be happy- he just needs work. Lots and lots of work.

Why did I smile at his name? you may ask. Well, it was because he was the troll I loved. Crazy, right? Like he'd return my feelings!

It wasn't the paranoia or the grumpiness I feel for, it was the side he showed me when no one else was around.

Enough talk about my problems, I have to remember my friends- for they are the reason I'm out here. Everything happened so quickly and my heart broke in half when they got captured. I knew someone had to do something before it was too late.

Currently I wasn't doing so hot. I managed to eat a poison berry which gave me poison ivy made my whole body poof so I looked like a pink ball of fuzz. That was suddenly the least of my troubles when I found I had fallen into a what felt like millions of spider webs that was going to take forever to get out of. My eyes were getting droopy and before I knew it I was out cold.

* * *

"GET BACK UP AGAIN!" I was back! And right in front of me stood Branch. He looked worried. That was surprising.

"Branch!" I exclaimed happily, wrapping my arms around the grey troll. "You came, thank goodness!" I closed my eyes and hugged him tightly, nuzzling my head into his chest. "Oh, you smell so good...like blackberries." I pressed my cheek against his vest.

"Um...yeah," he said awkwardly, pulling away.

"You wouldn't _believe_ what I've been through!" I said.

"And neither would you," he mumbled. "Did you know that some kid bit me? Then she almost _peed_ on me!"

"Oh, that must've been Madison."

"Madison?"

"Green? Blue hair? A little creepy?"

"That's the one."

"I'm so glad you decided to come along. I...I need you." I let the words slip out of my mouth before I could stop them.

He blushed slightly at my words, stopping dead on his tracks. "So you admit you need me?"

"Well yeah! I do need you…" I smiled at him. He quickly looked away. "I-I mean!...I wanted you! N-No, wrong word...I, uh, I…" I played with her fingers, mentally slapping myself in the face for acting so stupid. _Just stop talking!_

A small smile formed across his lips and he raised an eyebrow. "Someone to save your pink butt from danger?" he suggested.

"What? Pff, no!"

"Really? Those spiders would have sucked out every ounce of your body if it wasn't for me!"

"They wouldn't have killed me!" I defended herself. Well, with all I could. She didn't have much of a point to prove considering those spiders would have indeed sucked every ounce of blood in my body until she looked like a deflated whoopee cushion. Which wasn't if _Branch_ would have stepped in, that is.

"Yeah, sure." He slipped my backpack back on and walked ahead of me.

I caught up with him, standing in his path. "I was waiting to see the whites of their eyes and then BAM!" I dramatically did some sort of karate move, nearly hitting him in the face. I apologized vigorously before continuing. "Some of THIS! And some of THAT! Now you see me...WHAT'S THAT?" I pointed up towards the sky, which didn't fool him. "Now you don't! WAPOW!" I came up behind him anyways, spinning up a few feet into the air and slamming back down.

"Alright, enough with this nonsense, Pinkie, we are burning daylight."

I smiled a little at the nickname he gave me. "Alright. No more fooling around. Let's do this! All we have to do is rescue everyone and make it home safely," I said confidently.

"Wait wait, what's your plan?" he asked, hurrying after me. "I just told you. To rescue everyone and make it home safely. Cmon Branch, get with the program!"

"Okay, that's not a plan, that's a wish list." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Like he had anything better! "Ooohhh, and I suppose you have a plan?" I smiled.

He cleared his throat. "First, we get to the edge of Bergen Town without getting spotted. That'd lead us to the tunnels that'll lead us to the troll tree…" I decided I would scrapbook his plan before he could get too far. It took me a while to realize that this wasn't an actual plan at all. "Right before we get caught, and suffer a MISERABLE DEATH IN THE STOMACH OF A BLOODTHIRSTY BERGEN!" I stopped scrapbooking his plan right before we got eaten. I wanted to remain positive that we would all get out alive so I made my own version while he was busy going on and on. "Wait a minute, are you scrapbooking my plan?!"

At last, he notices! "Yeah, uh huh, almost...done!" I smiled, proud of my work. When I showed my masterpiece to Branch, however, he wasn't so proud. As the glitter sprinkled on his face for the second time that say I tried to hold in a laugh. Although I was proud of my quick scrapbook, the main reason I did it was to humor the grey troll.

Once the glitter was finished coming out he blinked once, then blinked twice, so unamused I wanted to chuckle. "There will be no more…" he blew his nose free from glitter. "Scrapbooking."


	3. Saving Her The Second Time

"Um, Branch."

"What?"

"I gotta tinkle."

"Do NOT say tinkle in my presences." All that brought back was the creepy green troll in his hair ready to pee on him not an hour ago.

"Oh…" she looked down at the ground, letting him walk ahead of her. Deciding to have some fun with him, she ran up to him repeating "tinkle" about a million times.

"Poppy!"

"Sorry...tinkle!" Saying the word only made her need to go _more_.

"Would you stop it?!"

Poppy sighed. "But I'm so _bored_!"

"Then find a way to entertain yourself!"

"But I-"

"Keep in mind that this was _your_ idea."

"I never _asked_ you to come!"

"Yes you did, you _begged_ me."

Poppy opened her mouth to answer but failed to say anything. He was right, she did want him to come along. It only made sense for him to come with her. Not because she needed saving but because she needed someone who knew a lot about Bergen's. Why would be refused when he knew about them more than anyone? What was he afraid of? Everyone was afraid of something- whether or not _he_ wanted to admit it. He had afraid of _something_.

"That's what I thought," he mumbled.

"And I'm glad you decided to come. Well, you _were_ right on time," she smiled.

The grey troll just rolled his eyes at this. "Like you _knew_ I was coming!"

"Yep! After the third hug time I figured getting eaten by a Bergen wouldn't be so bad." Poppy smirked at him, and he stopped.

"And I figured that there was no way you could do this by yourself. Guess we were both right." He crossed his arms and smiled that smile

"Makes sense. Although, let me ask you one thing."

"No."

"What made you change your mind so quickly?" she asked anyway, of course, against his wishes.

"I just told you. There was no way you can do this on your own…" He tried to keep his cool. He did _not_ want to tell Poppy that the annoying villagers had found his stash of invitations and notebooks he kept over the years. He didn't want to tell her that he actually cared about her, it was that stupid pride of his. He did care, he just didn't know how to tell her and often argued with himself about it.

"Is that all?" she pressed.

"That's all."

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Let me think about it...no."

Poppy frowned but once again asked anyway. "Do you, on a personal level, think there's a chance for my friends? And after we rescue them, what will happen then?" Her voice grew a bit more serious for this question.

The first question was easy. He couldn't help but feel that Poppy's friends were goners and we're probably being made in a taco or a piece of cake depending on what the bergens felt like. The second question, however, he didn't have a valid answer for that one. He answered to the best of his ability, although it wasn't the best answer. "Things will go back to normal, I guess."

Poppy nodded, although she didn't understand. This was an adventure! Usually a hero changes after an adventure. He changes his ways for the good of everyone else. If he dpes not then who is he to call himself a hero? Who is he to say he learned something from the journey? She didn't want Branch to be his grumpy self. She wanted him to be the same Branch, but...different. If that made sense. A warmer Branch, if you may. Okay, he could still be grumpy, but not afraid to show some emotion. A Branch that didn't push everyone away. The Branch that only she had seen. It was rare when she saw his soft side, and when he let it show it gave her the most incredible feeling ever.

Before Poppy could bump into the tree trunk that was right in front of them Branch tugged her back. They had approached a fallen tree that leaned just above a pond."Watch it," he grumbled, looking to see of there was a way around the tree but the only way was to go straight across. Unless they wanted to swim but there was no way Branch was going to do _that_!

"Oohh, a pond!" Poppy said excitedly, running down the slope and into the water and splashing around the water without a care in the word.

He really wanted to be annoyed with her, but she just looked so gosh darn cute splashing around in the pond. She was like a child. She spent enough time with the kids in the village, which Branch had no idea how she handled because they were all just so _annoying._ How come Madison didnt bite _her_ finger or almost pee in _her_ hair? Well, for one thing, Poppy has patience which was something Branch lacked and was something needed when one was taking care of children. Point was, although Poppy did hang out with the children she never fully grew up. She was like a huge child that didn't know the cruel reality of what the world truly was.

He didn't want to ruin her moment that he hoped wouldn't last long, half because this was wasting time and the other half because he didn't know how much longer he could take this adorableness.

As the pink troll played in the water Branch leaned against the tree trunk, smiling a little in amusement. He hadn't moved from this spot but he had the perfect view right here.

Branch's smile faded when he realized Poppy's expression changed. She got out from the water, screaming, "LEACH! LEACH!" She ran around as the leaches sucked her body until Branch got ahold of her. She struggled against his grip but he remained firm.

"Calm _down!_ I…" _won't let anything happen to you_. He wished he had to courage to say those words aloud, but he grew silent, managing to rip off the leaches and throw them back in the pond. "We definately aren't swimming across," he said, climbing back up the slope and back to the tree stump, extending his hair and getting a good grip on one of the branchs before jumping. He came to a safe landing, with Poppy following, not as gracefully.

She landed right on her face but smiled sheepishly and got back up again. "Thanks for saving my life," she said softly, yet it made him jump. "Again."

He grunted in response.

" _Burrr!"_ she shook herself free from water and now she looked like a pink puff ball. It didn't last long when she flattered herself out and skipped around, singing a silly little toon.

"Do you HAVE to sing?" he sighed. "For a troll that almost got killed twice in one day I would think you would be a tad bit more aware of things. If something out here heard you they would gobble up both of us. So I suggest you don't draw so much attention to yourself!" He snapped, glaring at her over her shoulder and continuing to walk.

Poppy frowned, waiting for him to get a further distance because she thought he may kill her. "But Branch!" she protested. "I always sing when I'm in a good mood!" she said cheerfully.

 _How could be possibly be in a good mood?_ He wondered. Here they were- off in the wilderness where only the strong would survive. How could she be happy right now? If anything could describe the she _should_ have been feeling, it was _fear_. "Do you HAVE to be in a good mood?" he asked flatly.

"Why wouldn't I be? By this time tomorrow, I'll be with all my friends! And Creek," she giggled.

Branch rolled his eyes. "Oh, that's _fantastic_."

"We are just friends," she said, giggling once more like a little girl.

"Mhm."

"Ooo what do you think they are doing right now?"

"Probably being digested," he muttered, biting into some berries he got out of his backpack.

He must have been a little too quiet because the pink princess was way more interested I the berries than continuing their conversation. "Berries!" she exclaimed. "Thank goodness, _real_ berries, not the kind that make my skin puff out. That was a nightmare, I'll tell ya. It was actually kind of fun, though, rolling down those hills."

Branch raised an eyebrow. He had no _idea_ what she was talking about so he decided not to ask.

She had eaten half of the berries in a matter of a few minutes. "Do you just want to take a lunch break?"

"You don't have to ask me twice!" she chirped. "What do you got?"

"Sandwiches," he answered, taking them out of his lunchbox and giving her her half, deciding that would be the best way to save on food. But like he said, he got most of the food for Poppy.

"Oh, you have my cowbell!" she said, reaching for it. He made the dumb mistake of leaving his backpack opened, and now she was going to ring on it which would get a hungry critters attention that would eat them for lunch before they even got to finish theirs.

To his surprise, she stashed it in her hair and finished her sandwich.

"I can't wait to see my friends," she babbled. "They are alive, Branch! I can _feel_ it!" When she tapped her toes he knew what was coming. " _I got this feeling, inside my bones-"_

"Please no!" he begged.

" _It goes electric wavy when I'm in the zone!"_

"Stop…"

" _And if you want it, inside your soul, just open up your heart let music take control!_ " She attempted to fist pump him but he stayed still. " _Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good song in my feet!"_

"Wait, wait! You can't have sunshine in your pocket- you'll explode!"

Poppy stopped dancing. "Why do you have to suck the fun out of everything? It's just a song."

"A very _annoying_ song!"

"Oh you know you love it," she smiled.

"No. I don't," he said, folding his arms.

"No. I don't." She copied his actions, looking even more grumpy than him with her pink face scrunched up as she crossed her arms.

"Are you mocking me?!"

"Are you mocking me?!"

"Psh, whatever!"

"Psh, whatever," she mimicked as he walked ahead of her. She let herself smile now, then she caught up with him, copying him once again. He rolled his eyes and looked away, then she trolled his eyes and looked away.

"You're so annoying," he said, his voice low in deep. Poppy was about to copy him but he cut her off. "You have to stop living a fantasy, Poppy. And I cant wait tk see the look on your face when you realize the world isn't al cupcakes and rainbows, cause it isn't. Sometimes bad things happen- and there's _nothing_ you can do about it."

Poppy frowned once again, taking in his words. She took a breath. "Hey I know life isn't all cupcakes and rainbows, but I'd rather go through life thinking it mostly is instead of being like _you_. You don't sing, you don't dance...so... _grey_ all the time, what happened to you-"

"Sh." He cut her off by putting his finger on her lips.

"What is it?" she asked nervously. "A...A bergen?"

"Maybe," he whispered, taking his finger off her lips and tugging the straps of his backpack and looking around.

Poppy looked around as well, still a little nervous. It took a moment to realize he was just messing with her. She narrowed her eyes. "There's no Bergen is there? You just said that so I would stop talking!" She put her hands on her hips.

"Maybe," he whispered again.

Poppy rolled her eyes and hurried after him.

* * *

 **I know it's a but short but I hope you like the chapter and the overall story in general so far :) Thanks for your support**

 **Also, follow me on Instagram: the_amazing_hammy_ I post a whole ton of Broppy stuff go go check it out!**


	4. Because A Vision Softly Creeping

**Branch's POV**

The sun was starting to go down. I looked up at the sky, staring at the sunset. I felt so small at this moment, and I felt sad. I got like this sometimes, and I didn't know why. I remember always watching the sunset with with my grandmother, so that may have been why I felt this way.

"It's beautiful," Poppy gasped.

I turned around to see Poppy frozen as a statue, the setting sun reflecting in her eyes. "The sunset?" I scuffed. "It's okay, I guess."

"Have you ever even _seen_ a sunset?"

"Of course I've seen a sunset! I do leave my bunker, you know."

"Only to collect sticks…"

I silenced at this. I guess the only reason I did come out nowadays was to collect things. I liked collecting things, especially sticks. I hadn't stopped to look at the sun setting in a long time, and I wasn't planning on doing now. But Poppy had different plans for me. "Let's watch the sunset, then," she smiled, "since you haven't in who knows long." She set me down on the grass against my will.

"Poppy, there's no time for this-"

"Sh," she shushed me, so I tried again.

"We have to build a fire-"

"Fire? Psh, it won't be cold! It's in the middle of May!"

I furrowed my eyebrows but didn't say anything. "Just relax," she said calmly, slighting pushing me back. I didn't relax. I never _could_ relax, even if I could. I was a paranoid freak. I managed to lay down though. I felt Poppy's hand bush against mine by the slightest bit. "Sorry," she said quickly.

"S'okay," I said quietly, trying to ignore my beating heart.

As the sun went down I actually found myself relaxing a little. Now I just had to calm that heart rate of mine. I couldn't help it, I guess. "It's so pretty," she whispered. I almost said something super cheesy, like _it's not as pretty as you_ but I quickly stopped myself. I'm glad I did, that would have been stupid. But then again...it was true. There was no _way_ I was going to say that aloud, though. I knew she didn't feel the same about me. She couldn't. She only wanted my friendship and I wouldn't even give her that. _What a jerk_ , I thought.

Poppy turned over to me, just smiling. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

I ignored her comment and got up, rubbing the dirt off my hands. "Okay, the sun is down, now we need to find a good spot to camp out." I said, putting my backpack on and walking ahead of her.

"I love camping!" Poppy beamed. "A bonfire, sleeping in a sleeping back in a tent, and the marshmallows…" the princess sighed and leaned against a tree. "Yuuum!"

"I don't think it's gonna be exactly like that, Pinkie," I said.

"Well...we could pretend!" she said.

I grunted, coming to a stop. This looked like a good place. I set down my backpack and began to look for sticks. Fortunately there were many in this area.

"What are you doing?" Poppy asked.

"What does it look like?"

"Collecting sticks," she answered, snorting a laugh. "You're _favorite_ thing to do!"

"Shush. Get over here and help me!"

"Okay, okay, Mr. Grumpy pants!" she chuckled, grabbing a few puny sticks that I knew would be useless.

"What are those suppose to be?"

"Um, sticks?" she asked more than answered. "Every little stick counts!"

I didn't say anything as I collected more. "I think that'll be fine, we won't have it all night," I said.

Once all of the sticks were collected, I went to get to the center and dug a small hole. "Help me collect some rocks too," I told her. Poppy nodded. It didn't take long to finish the job. Once the rocks were all circled around the edges of the hole and the sticks were built up came the fun part.

"Oh! I know how to do it!" Before I could get the matches out of my pocket here came Poppy, doing it the hard way. She grabbed two sticks that I hadn't put in and started to rub them together. "Any moment now," she said, seeming to grow tired of this quite easily. Another minute went by, and I didn't know what was more surprising: her rubbing those two sticks together for the long or the fact that I _stood_ there that long waiting for her to give him. Now I couldn't think of a moment where this _wasn't_ happening. "A little longer-"

Finally I lost my cool. "ENOUGH!"

Poppy stared up at me with these huge purple eyes until she glanced back down and continued to try to make fire out of the two sticks.

I scowled, taking them both out of her hands. She looked back, her ear slightly twitching when she heard the noise of the sticks making a land in the bushes. Then she glanced back at me, sitting on her bottom and budding her knees.

"Okay Branch, you have my attention," she said quietly.

I couldn't help but feel a little bad to see her look like a puppy that got kicked out in the rain. I knew she was only trying to help and thought that rubbing two sticks together would do so but it just came off as plain _annoying_.

I dug through my backpack where I found my matches. I really had came prepared. "There's a much easier way to light a fire," I said, lighting the match and letting it rip.

"Hm. Not bad! Now what are we gonna do?" she asked, hugging her knees.

"Can't you stay still for one minute?" I snorted.

Poppy put her finger to her chin in thought. "Nope! Maybe we could tell ghost stories?" she suggested.

"No."

"Fine, let's just do nothing…" she layed down on the grass as I sat by the fire, warming my cold hands, but they never seemed to thaw. My heart froze a long time ago, freezing everything else on the outside. I guess that's what happened when you turn grey. Your body just feels like a corpse. I know that feeling more than anyone. I should just be used to it by now.

I put the blanket I brought over my body letting out a sigh, my eyes closing and I let my mind wonder.

"Goodnight Cooper, goodnight Biggie, goodnight DJ, goodnight Guy Diamond, goodnight Smidge, goodnight Fuzzbert, goodnight Satin, goodnight Chenille…" she paused. I thought she was _done_ saying goodnight to everyone, but I knew exactly who she missed when I heard her giggle. "Goodnight, _Creek!_ Boop!"

I rolled my eyes. "And goodnight Poppy!" I closed my eyes again, going back to my thoughts. I thought about many things, but the thought that kept on coming back was the look on Poppy's face when she realized the world wasn't all cupcakes and rainbows. Every time I closed my eyes there she was, smiling one moment and looking so downhearted the next. I didn't know what it was, and part of me was scared to know. I was also scared if I would ever know. Everything about it felt real. Was it some kind of vision? All I saw was darkness. Hug time bracelets would light up but no hugging would be going on. Everyone would ignore them and look at the ground, sulking it despair, even the young children. Every troll in the village was grey. What was this dark place were in? Was there an escape?

" _Stars shining bright above you…"_ Poppy's voice brought me back into reality. I was scared, glad, and frustrated all at once. Of course, I didn't show my fear nor my happiness that I was woken up from that nightmare. I wouldn't call it that. Vision, perhaps.

As always, I took out my frustration. "Really? Seriously? More singing?!" I whipped my head back, a little happy to see Poppy with her colors back.

"Yes seriously. Singing helps me relax," she smiled, looking up at the sky. "Maybe you ought to try it," she concluded, readjusting the leaf she was wrapped in.

"I _don't_ sing, and I _don't_ relax!" I sat up a little. "This is the way I am, and I _like_ it! I also like a little SILENCE!" I glared at her before plopping back down. I closed my eyes tightly, just wanting this night to be over already. But still when I closed my eyes I only saw a grey Poppy.

My eyelids flew open when I heard Poppy playing the guitar. Where did she even _get_ a guitar?!

" _Hello, darkness, my old friend…"_ She sang. I just _had_ to say silence. She was smirking at me, too. I know she was only doing it to humor me. Well, shocker, I wasn't amused, although I did sit up, bending my legs. Poppy backed up slightly.

" _I've come to talk with you again…"_ a few critters even began to sing _with_ her. The sad thing was I that they would even sing and I refused.

 _Because a vision softly creeping,_

 _Left its seeds while I was sleeping!_

 _And the vision that was planted in my brain_

" _Still remains,"_ sang a strange purple creature. It was a bit of a creepy sight to look at, and I worried that some of the bigger creatures could turn on her any moment, as if they were trying to lure her simple mind into a trap. But...I realized, she was luring _them_ with her song. Her voice was the type that would attract things. It attracted me, and I started to feel a lightheaded.

 _Within the sound of silence…_ " All of the creatures disappeared, as if I was just imagining them. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if I was. I had a really overactive imagination. Maybe that was why I had that vision. It was real. It was a dream. Just a dream…

No, a _nightmare_.

 **Poppy's POV**

By the time I finished my song Branch had just about had it with me. Then he smiled. "May I?" he asked.

I was taken aback slightly. Did he play? I tried my hardest not to jump up and down like an excited little girl on a sugar high. He smiled at more for a while, and I flashed a smile back. Before I could stop him I knew my guitar was done for. It was thrown into the fire as if it was just a piece of firewood.

That was the end of that.

Branch laid back down, looking satisfied with himself. I narrowed my eyes, getting into my little leaf bed I had made for myself and covering myself up. I turned to the other side where I was faced with everyone's picture. They were taken every year because a lot could change in a year.

I realized I was missing one. I took the last picture out of my hair, taking a breath. I glanced at the sleeping grey troll. "I didn't forget about you," I whispered, looking back at the picture of the blue troll. He had to only be about five or six when that picture was taken. It was before he lost his colors, before he became grey and distant, before...I realized I loved him. I was young- how would I know? We would always play games together where I was the princess and he was the noble night that would save me from danger.

But one day, he turned grey, and...I didn't know why. I still don't know why till this day. It doesn't mean I'm going to give up- you've come to far. If I could just get that genuine smile out of him that'd be a good place to start. I have seen him smile, and I want to see it again. I wanted it so much.

I took another breath and sat up. I had to tell him how much I cared. He needed to hear it. "Branch... I know you might think I'm a nuisance, or a nightmare who's never faced a real problem before, but I try my best to be the princess and future queen everyone expects me to be. All I want is for everyone to be happy. And that includes you, Branch. I know it's possible for you to be happy too, I've seen it! But when you do stuff like destroy my invitations or push me away...you don't know how that makes me feel. It makes me feel like what I'm doing isn't enough. So...I keep trying. I have to. I won't allow myself to stop until I find the thing that makes you happy because if you're not happy, then I'm not happy. I still smile. I still laugh and sing and dance with everyone else, but it's hard when I keep thinking about you, down in your bunker, all alone. I'm the princess of the trolls, I'm supposed to care about everyone's happiness and all I can think about some days is you! That's what you do to me, Branch! That's how you make me feel! And I don't think you realize that. I care about you, Branch. I care so much. Your happiness is important to me, you are important to me! And the reason why that is is…" I took another big breath. Had I said too much already? No, I needed to tell him more than just I cared. "I love you, Branch! I do! When you showed me that genuine smile and I saw how kind you could really be...it blew me away! I saw the real you that day. And whenever you were nice to me, I saw more of him. I saw more of the troll I knew you could be. It was all I could think about. I saw him- you -in my dreams, and in my scrapbooks...I just...fell in love. And that's why I want, more than anything else, for you to be happy. I don't even expect you to return my feelings, if you like someone else that's perfectly fine. If you're happy... then that's all that matters. That's all I want."

Upon finishing I looked back at the grey troll I refused to face who only had his back towards me. His body rose and fell ever so gracefully. My eyes saddened. He was asleep. I let myself lean back, cocking my elbow up and watching him sleep for a while. Then I lay back on my back and stared up at the stars.

With the crackle of the fire and a sky full of stars I didn't feel so alone. But my heart was empty.

Branch's POV

I kept on telling myself to turn around. I wanted to say something, anything. No, I wanted to kiss her and tell her I felt the exact same way. When I tried to speak, despite not facing her, nothing came out. My mouth felt completely dry and I froze like a statue.

While I heard shifting I knew the pink troll was having trouble sleeping. I felt the same, too. I was guilty about what happened with the guitar and I wanted to make it up to her. Instead I took in everything she said.

Poppy...loves me?

I found my heartbeat increasing at that, an a sudden surge of love pulled on me, warming my heart. It was like gravity, a force so strong it keeps your feet on the ground. If it wasn't for good old gravity everyone would be floating. Gravity, I think, is why we're all here. Well, I know, because we would die without it. It's what keeps us alive. Thing of it was it didn't seem as though I was alive, I felt alive. For a moment, and only a moment, I thought I felt the roots of my coal black hair turning blue again. Perhaps it was that imagination of mine on overdrive. I always thought of the worst but never realized how great it felt when I thought of the best, and who made me think that way.

This couldn't be my imagination! I pinched my hair and looked at the tips and saw a faded blue. As I looked at it the darker it got, and I woke up. I snapped out of the trance I was in, and my hair was back to black.

I knew it was there, but my doubt brought the darkness back. I had been like this for so long. Just when I thought there was a chance for me to change, a chance to be happy, a chance...for me to have to courage to confess my love as Poppy did, I ruined it.

I ruined it. I let my heart grow cold, my hair go black, and my soul remain distant. I ruined what could have been the best moment of my life. I ruined my only chance of happiness I had left, and that regret was even bigger than throwing Poppy's guitar in the fire. The guilt I had for not confessing right then and there, I was going to regret for the rest of my life.

And it just made me feel worse.

 **Narrator's POV**

It wasn't long until Poppy fell asleep, ignoring the pain that lingered after her confession. Branch was snoring now. She tried her hardest to ignore it. If only she knew he at least heard her confession, maybe she would have been okay with just that. And maybe she would have noticed her color going from bright to dim. But she ignored that, too.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! Thanks to my friend ttobba95 who has been helping me write this story :)**

 **QOTD: Do you ship Suki and Guy Diamond?**

 **MA: YES! :D**

 **Ask me anything and I may put it in the next authors note :p**


	5. Nope, I Don't Do High Fives

The next morning Poppy woke up not feeling herself. Usually when she rose she'd wake up happy and ready to party. But today, however, she just wanted to lay there. She gasped when she looked at her hands, that looked dimmed by the slightest bit. She swallowed hard as she sat up and looked at Branch, who was hunched over eating blueberries for breakfast.

Poppy smiled a little despite the clench in her heart. She thought about her confession last night by the fire's glow. She slapped herself for being so stupid. Although she meant every word, he didn't hear her. And what if he did? What would he say? He couldn't have felt the same way. Part of her wondered if he did.

Branch strained his ears turning over to Poppy, who instantly looked away. He stuffed a few more in his mouth before offering her some recently, his mouth still full of the berries. Poppy just stared at him. He tried again, extending his hand out. "Breakfast," he said hastily.

She politely shook her head. He studied her until gulping a few more down, some of the fruit smearing on his face. He was about to get up when Poppy gripped his shoulders. "Hey, wait," she started, surprised by the softness of her own voice. She wasn't one to be super soft. She was a loud troll, but a gentle one. But being quiet and being gentle were two completely different things. "Um, you got a little something…"

"What?" he grunted.

"Well, it's uh...here." She stopped trying to explain and licked her thumb, then gently putting it on his blueberry-smeared cheek. "There, it's off now." She gave him a small smile. He didn't smile but he nodded in thanks and stood up.

"Alright, let's get a move on." He gathered up his things and wasted no time getting back on the road.

* * *

Poppy hummed to herself quietly, Branch by her side as the wind blew in her face. She tapped her toe, and he knew what was to come.

" _Tell everybody I'm on my way!_

 _New friends and new places to see!"_

"Poppy," sighed Branch. Poppy silenced but only for a moment.

" _I'm walking on sunshine!"_

"Too happy."

" _And I need you now tonight-"_

He whirled around. "POPPY! STOP!" They were now inches away from each other, his breath was heavy and it tickled her neck. She'd never seen him look so angry and at the same time pained in her life. There was so much pain behind the anger. If not more. "Br-"

"Just stop singing! For one second!" he snapped. "I can't _believe_ I'm stuck here with you."

"Oh you have the nerve! _You_ aren't the best traveling companion in the world! You never wanna do _anything_!"

"May I remind you that _I_ was the one that saved you from those spiders?! And _I_ was the one that started the fire! If it wasn't for me you'd freeze out there!"

"It's not _my_ fault that I don't have any survival skills!"

"Well you ought to learn!"

She decided to ignore that. "It's not my fault either that you threw my guitar in the fire!"

"It's not my fault that you're annoying!"

"No! You did it because you have no social skills! You practically been living under a rock your whole life!"

"Oh yeah? Then why don't I just go back under that rock where I belong?"

"Fine by me!" she said, throwing her hands in the air and about to walk away, but clearly he wasn't done.

"You spoiled irresponsible ditz!" he exclaimed.

"That's it!" shouted Poppy, screaming and lurching herself on top him and pinning him down.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded.

Poppy ignored him, making frustrated grunting noises, trying to keep him down. "Poppy!"

The two wrestled each other for what felt like a long time, hands through each other hairs. "By the way- you have white hairs!" she said angrily. " _Old man_!" she mocked.

He pinned her down, growling loudly. "Well you have…" he studied her up and down, trying to find a single flaw. "Well…"

"What do I have?" she asked, trying to hide her amusement then pinning him down. She was just ask strong as he was.

"Whoa, wee!" a new voice chuckled. "You and your boyfriend sure do get carried away!"

"What? Boyfriend?!" Branch demanded. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Poppy stood up, making her way off up him and getting up on her two feet, her hair a hot mess.

In front of her stood a cloud.

With eyes, a mouth, and arms and legs.

Branch rubbed his eyes and opened them again. Yep. It was real. "What do you want?" he asked flatly.

"I just wanted to let you know that one of these tunnels lead to the troll tree, and the others...to certain DEATH, DEATH, Death, death, death…" his voice lowered each time he said _death_.

Poppy was about to ask what he was talking about but when she glanced to the right she noticed the tunnels. "We made it! Branch did you hear that?! We are almost there!" She hugged him tightly, and he felt his muscles tense. One moment she was getting ready to kill him and the next she was fine. He was also still a bit weirded out that a cloud was _actually_ talking to them.

She hugged him ever so tightly, closing her eyes.

"Awww," the cloud sighed. "You have such an affectionate girlfriend!"

"She's _not_ "- he pushed her off him "-my girlfriend!"

"Alrighty then."

"Hey, um, Mr. Cloud?" Poppy asked, minding her manners. "Would you mind telling us which tunnel is the right one?"

"You bet! And call me Cloud Guy."

"Great!" Poppy beamed.

But as always, Branch had different plans for her. "No, we are fine _Cloud Guy_ , thanks," grunted Branch, pulling Poppy away. In his opinion, Cloud Guy was a bit freaky. Clouds weren't suppose to talk in the first place, right?!

"Branch," Poppy laughed nervously, "He's trying to help us."

"I don't like the looks of him…" Branch said, narrowing his eyes. "I mean, who wears socks with no shoes?!"

"Don't be rude he may hear you!" she whispered harshly.

"How can he even hear us!? He doesn't have ears either!"

"You're thinking too hard, as always," Poppy rolled her eyes. "He seems to know what he's talking about. Just give him a chance," she pleaded.

He gave her a hard stare before sighing. "Okay _fine_ , but if this guy plays any tricks…"

"Branch! You are so paranoid-"

"I know you guys said you aren't a couple but you sure do fight like one!" laughed Cloud Guy. "Like an old married one! Are you _sure_ you aren't dating?"

"No!" Branch said harshly. "Now which way do we go?"

"Denial is strong in this part of the woods." He cleared his throat. "Anywho, give me a high five, then I'll tell you."

"A _high five_?! What doesn't that have to do with _anything_?!"

"Do you wanna know which way to go or not?" the cloud asked, his voice monotone.

"I'll do it!" said Poppy, excitedly pushing Branch out of the way. "I love high fives!" Poppy was just about to high five him but Cloud Guy put his hand to the side and smirked.

"I know _you_ will," he crossed his arms then looked at Branch. "But will he?"

The thing Branch found funny about Cloud Guy was that he _did_ seem to know what he was talking about. He wasn't ready to admit that Poppy was right about that, but he found it bizarre that the cloud already had their personalities down. He _knew_ Poppy would just by the way she acted, and he _knew_ Branch wouldn't judging by the way he's acted.

"No," Branch said sternly. "I _won't_."

"Welp I guess you two are out of luck…"

"Branch! It's a high five! The others lead to certain _death_! Get perspective."

Once again Poppy was right. He would rather high five the stupid cloud than risk going into the wrong tunnel. But would it really make a difference? It's not like they would survive one second in Bergen Town without getting spotted.

"Slap it boss," said Cloud Guy.

"Not gonna happen."

"Little slappy make daddy happy?"

"That's weird."

"Here just do this"- he slapped his left his with his right -"but with _your_ hand."

Branch scowled. Did he think he was stupid?! He knew what a high five looked like! He didn't need a demonstration!

"Yeah thanks for that demonstration it really cleared up exactly what I will NOT be doing!"

"BRANCH!"

"Better do it, grey one. Your girlfriend is getting antsy there…" he said through his teeth. "A satisfied girlfriend is is a happy girlfriend, ain't that right?" he asked Poppy, who was slightly blushing.

Poppy was about to correct him once again that they were not dating but Branch finally came through. " _One_ high five. That's _it_!"

"Alright!"

Just as Branch thought that this guy was finally gonna come through for them, he was wrong. Because before he knew it he almost tripped because Cloud Guy had slipped his hand away before he could slap it.

He burst out laughing. "Too slow!"

" _Too slow_?!"

"Classic," Poppy chortled. Branch gave her the coldest stare, causing her eyes to dart away, and suddenly her feet became the most interesting thing in the world.

"Alright, alright," Cloud Guy cleared his throat. "I'll let you slide with a fist bump." He held out his fist slightly.

Branch clenched his first into a ball, almost wanting to punch him in the face but he stopped himself.

"Woops! Shark attack! Om num num! Jellyfish! Ham sandwich, turkey, snowman, dolphin, helicopter, bird, money trapped in a zoo!"

"What?!" Branch demanded. What was _wrong_ with this guy? Wasn't everything a _joke_ to him?!

"Gearshift! Verrrmmmm!" This sent both Cloud Guy and Poppy laughing hysterically.

"Good one," Poppy laughed.

Branch, however, was not so amused.

"Okay, okay, okay, now I'm thinking we hug," he smiled once he calmed down, holding out his arms happily.

He completely lost it. He was _done_ , finished with him. He broke a stick in half, making the cloud rain. "Run," Poppy whispered.

The cloud did as ordered, screaming as Branch completely lost his mind. "YEAH YOU BETTER RUN CLOUD!"

"No! Wait!" Poppy protested, noticing that Cloud Guy had ran into a random tunnel. She wasn't sure if this one would actually lead to Bergen Town or not, and her heart leapt as she found herself running after Branch, still protesting. He was unstoppable.

"C'MERE CLOUD!" he shouted.

"He can help us!"

"Control your boyfriend!" screamed Cloud Guy, turning back to Poppy as he ran.

Of anything, this made Branch even _more_ enraged. "I'M GONNA TEAR YOUR LITTLE CLOUD ARMS OFF YOUR LITTLE CLOUD BODY!"

"Run Cloud Guy!"

"Control him!" Cloud Guy repeated. "THIS IS NOT HOW-" he was cut off when his head hit a large branch. "Oh hey we are here!" he smiled, taking the sticks from Branch before he could impleal him with them and threw them to the side. "You guys are a lot of fun. I'm gonna go, got some cloud stuff to take care of." He didnt face them until he realized he had forgotten something. "Oh! never caught your names, care to share?"

" _No,_ " Branch growled, clenching his fists tightly.

"I'm Poppy," Poppy smiled. "And this party pooper over here is Branch."

"Welp, nice meeting you, Poppy and Branch. I wish you luck. See you on the way back? Unless...you DIE, DIE, die, die…" He made are dramatic exit, and Branch had never been so grateful for someone to leave in his whole life, and that was saying a _lot_.

"Ugh can you _believe_ that guy?! He could never make up his mind!" Branch ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. He knew he should've gotten too worked up considering he was just a cloud. He was somewhat grateful that he actually came through with showing them the way, even if it wasn't how he expected him to.

"Hey Branch," Poppy called, cutting though his thoughts. Only then he realized she wasn't were she was before. "You really need to see this…"

"What?" he asked, taking a few steps closer.

 _Oh_. He swallowed hard.

They were smack in the middle of the troll tree with a perfect view of Bergen Town.

This, he knew, would be where the real adventure began.

* * *

 **Sorry it's short but it's okay, right?**

 **Mehhhh…**


End file.
